The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-09-17
SOLEMN WARNINGS.
EXPLANATORY NOTES BY REV. r.
S. M'ARTHUR, D. D.
Lesson MI of the International Series
Third Quarter) tor sunday, sept. ID.
Text OF the Lesson, Matt. vii, 1920.
Golden Text, Matt. vii, 10.

Golden Text, Matt. vii. 10.
VS.. IL, H. Enter ye in, tc.--This is liter
ally through the strait gate; /. e., into the
kingdom OF the Messiah, here and hereafter,
or into life eternal. The figure requires this
gate to be placed ut the beginning of the
journey. Strait, !. @, narrow; opposed TO
what is wide, rs straight, which Is another
form of stretched, Is opposed To that which
is crooked. Strait is used but little except
in geography, rs 1.-THE straits or narrows Of
Gibraltar and III such phrases rs strait
laced, strait jacket, AVID "no Is in strait"
j. O., in u narrow or tight place Destruction,
loss, perdition. This will apply with equal
propriety TO temporal loss or eternal ruin.
Jesus here presents the characters
tics of the two ways. The eshor-
tation teaches that it is difficult
to begin and to continue to serve God,
and that it is easy to live life Of sin. The
difficulty of being saved and the ease Of be-
ing lost are used to stimulate all to make the
necessary efforts to enter the narrow gates,
The fourteenth verse impresses upon US the
same truth. Not only is the gate narrow, but the
way is so also. Narrow.-This means pressed
together, contracted, strnitened (Revsed Yer
sionl. IL suggests the idea of difficulty; the
verb is the root Of the word translated tribu-
lation. The strait gates, travellers III the east
tell us, are found in retired corners. They
are not observed by the careless passer by.
They have to be carefully sought; they are
opened to those who knock; and, as DR..
Thomson says, "When the sun goes down
and night comes on they are shut and locked.
1t is then too laten Sometimes the larger
gate has a small one in itself. Perhaps Christ
had these two in mind-tho one large and
easily found, the other small and discovered
only by the earnest seeker.
V. - Because of these difficulties in enter
ing the strait gate and walking in the mar
row way, we see the need Of guarding against
false prophets. There are those who will
strive to lead us away; such were the Phari-
sees; such were some who claimed to have
been taught by Christ. The word prophet is
not only one who fOretells, but also one who
"foretells" and "forth-tellS," one who speaks of
and for God, an inspired teacher of religious
truth. A false teacher is one who falsely
claims to teach in Gods name Sleeps
clothing-Ths is not to be understood liter
ally, as i'll the case of the old prophets; the
rough costume, however, came TO stand for
the garments of true prophets. All rascals
assume tho manner of saints. This is a
compliment to the saints. If there were no
good men, there would be no motive to as
sumo the character of goodness Inwardly
AT heart they are selfish, greedy wicked
deviish. This is a'striking representation Of
wicked person assuming the appearance Of
goodness.
VS. 1920 Ye shall know them by their
fruits.-Their actions will soon reveal their
character. No man can long play the hypo-
critic; let him alone and he will soon reveal his
true character Grapes.-The question here
asked is equal to a strong negative assertion
We know that grapes and Ggs were among
the choicest fruits Of Palestine Thorns and
thistles were rs worthless as they were com
mon: thoYns We're of various kinds; this.lcs
represent particular variety Of pricsly
plant. OF course grapes and figs do not grow
in this fashion; to ask the question is to
answer it, Good trCe.--A tree which bears
much ard good fruit. Corrupt. This literally
means rotten; here it means Il tree which bears
bad fruit, as opposed to the good fruit. IN
verso 10 we see what is the destiny Of such n
tree-hewn down.. G., cut out Of lis place in
the orchard. That is all ii is good for. Trees,
like men, get in tho end all they are worth.
There is no escaping this terrible law. The
character must be changed or this destiny is
inevitable. These false guides shall be cast
into unquenchablc fire. IL verse 20 Jesus ap-
plies the comparison to the false prophets of
whom he had spoken. This practical test
enables US to distinguish between true and
false teachers. BY this test We are to judge
men today; by it we ourselves are to be
judged.
VS. 2l-o3-Here we take wide reach; not
only false teachers but all false professors Of
religion are here included. He here warns
not open enemies, but even his professcd dis
ciples. Not every one--Not all who profess
Christ's name shall be among the saved.
Lord.-This term recognizes Christ as sover-
eign Perhaps thus early this title was given
him by his followers. Its repetition gives
emphasis to the significance Of tao title; and
also, perhaps, indicates the common practice
Of the disciples. The practical test of love
is obedience Doeth the vii. From verse 81
it is certain that the number Of false pro-
fessors will be great. That day is clearly tho
last day of Judgment. The term might be
applied either to tho introduction or the con.
summation Of the kingdom. Prophesied,
ITSUCutti, lOi III Jl1Il lOIclSIl-
ing. But even the ability to foretell future
events does not necessarily prove that its pos
SCISSORS were godly. Devils, strictly demons
There is but one devil--he is the head of
many demons who are his angels. Workers
of miracles are not necessarily truly pious.
Possibly demons were subject to Judas as
well as to the other disciples. There are
evangelists and pastors in our own day who
have been used by God in tine conversion of
souls who are ut heart bad men.
In verse 23 we see that Christ will publicly
repudiatc these impo>tors. He becomes de.
cidcd in his rejection, and says depart from
me, ye that work iniquity. They never were
his true followers, and they must now go to
their own place.
VS. 2t27 False teachers arc rejected:
but those also who stand in q merely mega
tive attitude toward evil. those Who are hear
els and not doors Of the word, are also
brought to destruction. knowledge OF the
truth, without an observance Of It's claims,
aggravates tho doom OF men \ rock, liter
ally, the rock; not a fragment Of rock broken
off. but q bed Of rock, of living rock. In its
full sense this rock is Christ Rain, n storm.
Floods. streams, freshets: common word IN
Greek for rivers; here foundations. Chriat's
hearers readily understood this vivid imag
cry; they were familiar with the Sudden fury
Il ~